Paper-feeding machine



Feb, 192

. 7 1.. J. FROHN PAPER FEEDING MACHINE Filed A x- 1921 ll Sheets-Sheet l SQ nuHl nnuou m lll Feb. 1

L. J. FROHN PAPER FEEDING MACHINE Filed Aug. 22, 1921 11 sh ets-sheet 2 Feb. 22 {1927.

ve/nboz Qbtom 74 Adwwm L J FROHN PAPER FEEDING mourns Filed Aug. 22. 1921 Feb; 22 4 L. J. FROHN PAPER FEEDING MACHINE Filed Aug. 22. 1921 11 Sheets-Sheet 4 frnn l l l l l ldl lnv lfl lfl l l l I I I IUHNP P I I IH A Feb. 22 1927.

L. J. FROHN PAPER FEEDING MACHINE 11 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 22 1921 i l llll Emma Fehn L J. PAPER FEEDING MACHINE Filed Aug. 22. 1921 11 Sheets-Sheet 7 WSW www H l. 90 v, k smw m nllml Feb. 22 1927. v

- J. FROHN PAPER FEEDING MACHINE Filed Aug. 22, 1921 11 Shets-Sheet a wuw mm mm Feb. 22 192 L. J. FROHN PAPER FEEDING MACHINE Filed Aug. 22.

1921 11 sheets-Sheet 9 3 5140352, flbtowe Feb. 22 9 1927.

L. J. FROHN PAPER FEEDING MACHINE Filed Aug. 22. 1921 11 Sheets-Sheet 1'0 mot/5 Feb. 22 1927.

L. J. FROHN PAPER FEEDINHG MACHINE Filed fl- 1921 ll Sheets-Sheet 11 gwwewco'c 06W, M, M/Qbtm Patented Feb. 22, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,618,12 PATNT oFFics.

LEONARD JOSEPH FROHN, 0F LYNBROOK, NEW. YORK.

PAPER-FEEDING MACHINE.

Application filed August 22, 1921. Serial No. 494,285.

have shown and which I shall proceed to describe is designed primarily for use in connectlon with a ruling machine, in which,

as is well known, the sheets must follow each other in close succession and in practically perfect alignment.

It is not what might be called an easy matter to rapidly and accurately feed sheets by hand from a stack or pile thereof, probably for the principal reason that the friction resulting from the handling of the more or less flexible pile generates static electricity with consequent attraction, causing the sheets to stick together and to be separated with some difliculty. This is probably the principal obstaclefto be-overcome in attempting to provide an automatic feeding machine. Furthermore, the innumerable different uses to which ruled and printed paper sheets are put means an exceedingly wide variation not only in the lateral dimensions of the sheets to be handled at different times, but also inthe thickness and quality of the stock. A feeding machine to be worth its installation must be capable of being quickly and readily adjusted and readjusted for any one of a wide range of sizes of sheets and for paper of any thickness and quality.

Another (lifliculty which presents. itself grows out of the obvious fact that as the sheets are fed or withdrawn from the top of the pile the height of the latter is gradually reduced, and as the feeding or withdrawing means must be in a relatively fixed position, the pile must be gradually raised at an average speed which is the same as that of reduction of height by deplction.

The slightest variation would soon or late destroy the essential positional relationship between the feeding mechanism and the top of the pile.

peaking in the most general way, we principal object of the present invention may be said to consist in materially improving in many directions upon the machine shown and described by Joseph Hren in his patents No.'939,260, of November 9, 1909,

and No. 951,074, of March 1, 1910. Tothis I end, an important object of the invention- POSSlblY'OIIQ of the most importantmay eration, by which I mean practical certainty that a single sheet will at each operation be withdrawn from the top of the pile and advanced in the wake of its predecessor in perfect alignment. A scarcely less important object of the invention is a general construc tion of the machine as a whole and each of the various mechanisms therein individually to permit of rapid and comparatively easy adjustment thereof for the handling of sheets of any one of a number of differ ent' sizes. I have further had particularly in mind dependable and readily and accurately adjustable connecting means between the various mechanisms to insure an interdependent relationship for the purpose of perfect timingundoubtedly essential in a machine of this character. Possibly just as essential is the'insurance of'exactly proper rate of upward movement'of the table which supports the stack or pile as the latter is gradually depleted, whereby the top sheet of the pile is invariably in position for. engagement by the withdrawing means, and this is by no means the least lmportant object of the invention. above, I have had in'view general simplicity of construction and operation, minimizin so far as possible the number of parts an the amount ofpower required to drive the machine, and other objects which will appear from a perusal of the detailed description which follows.

However, throughout all of my efi'orts to provide a machine in which all of the foregoing objects will to the greatest possible extent have been attained, by no means last in my mind has been the idea of economy of manufacture through a general construction which admits of a standardization of parts. While, as hereinbefore suggested, the

machine of my invention may. be itself readily adjusted for the feeding of sheets of any one of a wide range of dimens ons and weights, it is frequently necessary forv particular purposes and special requirements .60 doubtless be said to be dependability of op- Incidental to the, V

fore referred to, but one so constructed that the largest possible number of parts shall be interchangeable between machines of different sizes or proportions, wherefore the manufacturer is'under the necessity of carigin in stock--01- especially producing t e ewest possible number of parts.

M invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which I have shown a machine which I consider a practical and convenient embodiment of the invention, and in which- Fig. 1- is a top plan view of the machine Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the upper front end of the machine, comprising the feeding and the table-controlling mechanisms, one part being shown partly in section;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged partly sectional detail view of the driving pawl of the tablecontrollin mechanism;

Fig. 5 IS a section taken substantially on the broken line 55 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged longitudinal section taken substantially on the line 66 of Fig. 1';

Fig. 7 is a sectional detail view, taken substantially on the line 77 of Fig. 6;

Fi 8 is a horizontal section taken-substantially on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 99 of Fig, 6;

Fig. 9 isa vertical section of the upper portion of one of the air-blast nozzles and its regulatingvalve, taken substantially on the. line 99-9 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged sectional detail view,.taken substantially on the line 10-10 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged elevation of a fportion of the feeding mechanism, seen rom the side opposite that shown in Figs. 2 and 3, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged horizontal section taken substantially on the line 1212 of Fig. 2;

ig. 13 isa vertical section taken substantially on the line 13-13 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is an enlarged partly sectional plan view of a portion of the table-controlling mechanism and the means for actuating the same;

Fig. 15 is a vertical cross-section taken substantially on the line 15-15 of Fig. 14;

Fig. 16 is an enlarged vertical cross-section taken substantially on the line 16-116 of Fig.2;

Fig. 17 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation ,of a porti on of the sheet advancing and iding means, as indicated by the arrow in Fi 18 is a fragmentary and partly sectiona end view of the parts shown in Fig. 17 as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 17

Fig. 19 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 1919 of Fig. 18;

Fig. 20 is a' sectional detail View, taken substantially on the 1ine20--20 of Big. 19;

Fig. 21 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 21-21 of Fig.18;

Fig. 22 is a sectional detail view, taken substantially on the line 2222 of Fig. 21;

Fig. 23 is an; enlarged fragmentary horizontal section taken substantially onthe line 23-23 of Fig. 2.;

Fig. 24 is an enlarged detail elevation of the suction-control valve for the feeding mechanism;

Fig. 25 is a cross-section thereof taken substantially on the line 25--25 of Fig. 24; v Fig. 26 is a partly sectional end view thereof;

Fig. 27 is a. similar partly sectional view of the other end thereof;

Fig. 28 is a section taken substantially on the .broken line 28-28 of Fig. 26 and Figs. 29 and 30 are enlarged detail views, in vertical and horizontal cross-section, 1'e-. spectively, of the relief and cut-off valve for theair-blast pipes.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the main supporting frame of the machine is shown as compris- -ing four posts or standards, and 36 on one side thereof and their opposite counterparts on the other side of which one, 37, is shown in Fig. 5. These posts or standards are mounted on comparatively heavy bases 39 and 40 which for purposes of rigidity and stability prefer to secure in any suitable manner to the floor. Removably mounted at the top of each pair of stand ards is a frame-plate, 41 on one side of the machine and 42 on the other. These plates 41 and 42 are preferably heavy castings and of the configuration substantially as shown forpuiposes which will subsequently appear. onnecting these plates 41 and 42 are the detachably mounted stay-rods 43 and Rigidly secured within sleeve-like sockets formed at the lower edges of the plates 41 and'42 and projecting forwardly therefrom are the heavy rods 45 and 46, near the forward ends of which are mounted the brackets 47 and 48. The rods '45 and 46 are detachably secured within said sleeve-like sockets and said brackets 47 and .48 are adjustably mounted on 'said rods for reasons which will be hereinafter explained. Journaled in hearings in these brackets is the shaft 49, mounted upon which near one end thereof is-the sprocket 50. --Carried by this shaft 49 is the cup-shaped wheel or flanged disk or open-ended cylinder 52, the flange or cylindrical portion 53 of which is provided with series of perforations 54 54 (Figs. 8 and 9), preferably in partly coincidental relationship. I have shown this flanged disk or cylinder secured to the shaft 49 by means of a set-screw 55 threaded into the hub 56 of the former, whereby the same may be adj ustably positioned at any desired point along substantially the entire length vided a connection 58 for a pipe 59 which leads to a source of air exhaustion 1n a manner which will be herein' fter described. Mounted'on the tube or hol ow rod 57 is a sleeve 60 the interior diameter of which is appreciably greater than the exterior diameter of the tube and the ends of which are in-flanged and capped (Fig. 10) where.-

iii

by, with the addition of a suitable packing ring 61, a cylindrical chamber 67 is provided around said tube 57 which is hermetically sealed although the sleeve 60 is free to slide on said tube. An aperture 68 in the tube 57 leads from the channel therein to said chamber 67. i

Fixed upon the sleeve 60 at substantially the middle thereof is a collar 62 from which projects a hollow arm 63 which terminates in an oifset head or mouthpiece 64 designed, when roper relative adjustment has been eifecte to project into the open chamber of Y the wheel or cylinder 52. An aperture 65 in the sleeve 60 registers with the port of the channel provided in the arm 63, and the lower face of the head or mouthpiece 64- which is curved to correspond with the curvature of the inner face of the flange or cylindrical portion 53 of the wheel or cylindcr 52 with which it is designed to vbe in continuous contact (Fig. 6)is provided with a slot 66 which registeis with the perforations 54 in said cylinder. Apart from the curvature of the lower face thereof, to which I have just referred,'the configuration of thchead or mouthpiece 64 is not material. It will be apparent thatthe wheel or cylinder 52 having been first adjusted in the desired position and the sleeve 60 having been thereupon slid on the tube 57 to bring thehead or mouthpiece 64 into the chamber of the'former, as best shown in Figs. 8 and 9"-when air is partially exhausted from the tube 57 suction will be created through the perforations 54 (or portions thereof) which at-that particular momentregister with the slot 66.

The stack or pile 69 of paper sheets is supported upon a table 70 carried between the standards and mounted forcither automatic or'manual raising and lowering in a manner which will be hereinafter described. After proper adjustment, this stack or pile is held intact against lateral fanning or distortion by means of two pairs of gaugerods. Loose upon the rod43 are the collars 71 and 72, and slidable (when released) upon the rod 44 are the split-collars 73" and 74. Depending from the collar 72 on the rod 43 is a short arm 75 which terminates in a transversely disposed collar 76. Depending from the split-collar 74 on the rod 44 is a corresponding short arm 77 terminating in. a transversely disposed collar 7 8. Passing through the aligned collars 76 and 78 is a rod 79, While the parallel rod 80 is carried by the collars 71 and 73 in a precisely similar manner. The split-collar 74, as shown in detail in Fig.6 and of which the collar 73 is a counterpart, is adapted to be clamped to the rod 44 by means of the screw 82, and in this manner the rods 79 and 80, having been relatively adjusted along the rods 43 and 44, may be locked in their adjusted positions.

A short arm 83 has a split end with a clampmg screw 84, whereby said arm may be'adjustably clamped on the rod 80. At the outer end of this arm 83 is provided a collar 84 through which passes loosely a rod 85. Toward the rear end of the rod 80 a corresponding arm 86 is similarly constructed and mounted, similarly carrying the vertical rod 87. On the opposite side of the machine, the rod 79 is similarly equipped with the arms 88 and 89, the former loosely carrying the rod 90 and, the latter its counterpart. As the table 70 is raised, it will impinge against the lower ends of these gauge-rods 85. 87, 90 and the one carried by the arm 89 which slip through their guiding collars and rise idly with the table. \Vhen the latter is depressed or lowered beyond a certain point, these rods are held suspended in position by means of stop-pins 91 near the upper ends thereof.

It will be seen that the collars 71 and 72 being laterally adjustable on the rod- 43, and the collars 7 3 and 74 being laterally adjustable on the rod 44, and the arms 83, 86, 88 and 89 beinglongitudinally adjustable on the rods 79 and 80, the gauge-rods may be set in any one of innumerable relative positions, whereby they may be readily adjusted to gauge or control a stack or pile of sheets the rear edge of the table 70 For areason which will be hereinafter cxplaine'd, these bars 92 should be ca pableof slight forward and rearward adjustment;

There maximum forward adjustment not'causing engagement with the rear edge of the table and maximum rearward adjustment not resulting in a space between the table-edge and the bars. sufficientto permit saggin -*of' the rearend of the pile; The'upper en s'of the bars 92 should approach but not'reach' the top of the pile'to insure-ample clear ance for the sheet to bewithdrawn and access-in a manner which .will be describedto a few ofthe sheets-just underneatli'the same, The sheet, to be, withdrawn-the top sheet of the pile-should be engaged asnear as practicable to the rear edge thereof and at a certain fixed distance from said edge, varying according to the character. of the operations subsequently to be performed,

wherefore there must be a definite positional relationship between what may be termed the line of engagement and the common plane of said bars. v I

Slidably mounted on and near the end of each of the bases 39 and 40 are the blocks or brackets 93 and 94. Each of these blocks or brackets has the common and well-known pin-and-slot connection with the base upon which it rests whereby theymay be clamped in various positions of longitudinal adjustment. These brackets carry the cross shaft or rod 95 upon which are mounted collars 96 96 each having an arm 97 projecting vertically therefrom to which is secured, preferably by means of a Screw, as shown, one of the -gauge-bars 92. Near its upper end each of the gau e-bars is secured to a transversely arrange angle-bar 98.

Near the rear ends of the rods and 46 are mounted, preferably by means" of the clamped split-collars 99 and 100, the downwardly projecting brackets 101 and 102 at the lower ends of which are collars'103 and 104 through which are threaded the screws 105 and 106 which pass through the vertical wing of the angle-bar '98, one near each end thereof, and being turned by means of small hand-wheels 107 and 108a common and well-known expedient by means of which'the position of the angle-bar 98 with reference to the collars 103 and 104, and therefore the position of the gauge-bars '92 with reference to the disk or wheel 52, may be adjustabliy varied. Obviously, in thus positionally a justing the upper ends of the gauge-bars, the lower ends thereof must be correspondingly adjusted through the pin-and-slot connections of the brackets 94 to insure verticality and perfect rectangularity of the gauge-bar newne s and insure movement ofithe top sheetonly until after it has cleared the-pile, it has been found-necessary to provide means for breakmg this'adherence. I have found most satisfactory for this purpose the direction of one or more air currents in a slightly upward direction against the upper rear edge of the pile. I, therefore employ anai'r-pump,

preferably of the rotary type-in order to secure continuous and uniform currents in both directions at the same time in the simplest possible, manner, and which may be of from connections hereinbefore described.-

From whatmay be termedfthe' compression' chamber of the pump leads a pipe 110, hav-. a

ing a relief and cut off valve 110, hereinafter described, said pipe leading to upwardly-directed branches 111 at the upper ends of which are elongated nozzles 112 which are located just to the rear of the table 7 Oand the stack 69 of sheets thereon, and also just back of the angle-bar 98. I have shown the tips 112 of the nozzles. 112 inclined from the vertical toward the stack and flattened'to provide a comparatively wide and shallow currentas best shown in Figs. 6, 8 and 9. Probably Fig. 9 best illustrates the effect of a comparatively mild air blast directed as shown against the upper sheets of the stack.

Continued proper direction of these mild air blasts is undoubtedly of the utmost importance, and to that end the upper ends of the pipes 111 should be rigidly supported. For this purpose I mount on each of these pipes (or, preferably, on each of the nozzles 112 at the ends thereof, as shown) a dollar 113 having acircular boss 113. A block 114 is longitudinally channeled for the reception of said boss and also slotted or drilled for the rece tion of the shank of a. set-screw 115 threa ed into said boss, forming what may be termed a pin-and-slot con nection for longitudinal adjustment of said block with reference to said pi e. The forward end of the block 114 is s otted for the reception of the horizontal Wing of the angle bar 98 to which the block may be clamped by (Figs 6 and 7). It will thus be seen that by loosening the screw 115 the gauge-bars 92 may be adjusted as hereinbefore referred.

to Without dlsturbing the positions of the pipes 111 or their nozzles 112 which, therefore, within restricted limits, may be rigidly supported in original relative positions irrespective of positional adjustment of the gauge-bar frame.

As hereinbefore stated,-the particular embodiment of myinvention shown and now being described is especially adapted for use .in connection with a ruling machine. As

means of a thumb-screw 116.

roller 120 around which pass endless cords 121 providing a conveyor 'for preliminary advancem'entof the sheets fed in succession thereto. To deliver the sheets to the roller 120 I provide a conveyor-frame which-coni- "prises the side bars 122 and 122' and the idler rollers 12}? jodirnaled in bearings in the ends thereof. Obviously, the positional relationship between theroller 123 and the roller 120 should be that of the closest practical proximity with highest, peripheral lines of each in substantially the same horizontal plane. As, the height of the roller 12() from the floor may and does difi'er in different types of ruling machines, and for other reasons, instead ofproviding a separate support for the far end of my conveyor-frame, I provide means on .the ruling machine frame for such support, thus not only insuring exact relative positioning but making the machine of my invention readily adaptable to any type of ruling machine. The far end of my conveyor-frame may be supported from the frame of the ruling ma A simple,

may, of course, be driven independently of chine in many diflerent ways. convenient and practical support is provided by a cross-bar121 secured at its ends at the proper elevation to the uprights 117 and 117', upon which the side-bars 121 and 122 rest. In order to providefor selective'vertical positioning of this far end of, the conveyor-frame the near end thereof, the relative vertical position of which must be permanently fixed, should be .pivotally supported, wherefore I have shown a pin 125 mounted at the far end of the bracket 101 upon which the near end of the side-bar 121 is pivoted, and a pin 126 correspondingly mounted in the bracket 102 upon which and 2) a sprocket 132 mounted 1n any sultt-he end of the side-bar 122 is pivoted.

Journaled in hearings in the brackets 101 i and 102-is a shaft 127 upon which is mounted the roller 128. Upon this roller each sheet is delivered as. it is slipped from the top of the pile, and as intervening parts render" necessary the location of the roller at an appreciable distance from the rear end of the pile or stack and the employment of a spanning guide-plate or other suitable guiding means has been found to be impracticable, the end of the 'flexible sheet will sag more or lessdepen(ling upon the thickness and quality of the stockas.the sheet is advanced from the top of the. pile, wherefore 'I locate this roller 128 in such vertical position that the plane of the top line thereotshall be appreciably below the plane of the bottom line of the feed-wheel 52, as best shownin Fig. 6. .Around the roller 128and the roller 123 passes a series of endless conveyor-tapes 129 129'which ad- -vance th'e sheets received upon the roller 128 successively for delivery upon the roller 120. Y

' When the sheet throughout its entire length rests upon the tapes 129 nothing other than its own weight is required to retain it in place in transit to the roller 120, but the aforesaid necessary distance between the point or points "of engagement of the sheet by the feed-wheel 52 and the top of the driven roller 128 is relatively so great that in order to insure continuous movement in perfect ali nment of the sheet being fed (and for anot er reason which will be subsequently explained) means cooperating with the roller 128 should be provided to positively engage the sheet in process of withdrawal from the pile and retain such engagement until the sheet in its entirety has been passed to the tapes. For this purpose I pivot upon the shaft 49 an arm 130 carrying at its free end the idler roller 131 which is located just back ofthe wheel 52' and which rests upon the roller 128. Ob-

viously, each sheet passes between these rollers', and the=weight of the roller 131 is made suflicient to insure sufficiently positive driving engagement.

The feeding machine of my invention the ruling or other machine to which the sheets are to be fed, but it will be apparent that there must be at all times a constant definite relationship between the speeds of the two machines. This can best be insured by driving one directly from the other, to say nothing of the economy resulting from the provision of a single source of power and the absence of necessity for providing and adjusting separate connections between the -feeding machine and the same or another primary source of power. I have shown (more or less diagrammatically, in Figs. 1

able manner in the frame of the rulin machine and driven at the desired VGlOCltY'lll any suitable manner from any convenient;

a peripheral velocity which, for the time being, may be said to proximate the velocity at which the sheets are advanced through the rulin machine-althpugh as a matter of fact, tl ie former velocity should be, slightly less than the latter for reasons which will hereinafter be made clear. After passing around the sprocket 50, the chain 133 is not returned directly to the driving sprocket 132, but is directed around an idler roller 134--which is adjustably mounted so that it also provides a chain-tightening roller-0n said bracket 102, thence around a sprocket 135 on the shaft 127 and thence is so proportioned that the roller 128 is rotated at a slightly greater peripheral velocity than that of the wheel orcylinder 52.

I have not shown means for the actuation of the double-function pump 109. As there 7 is no necessity for either the establishment or the maintenance of any inter-dependent timing relationship so far as is concerned the speed at which the pump is driven, it may be operated in any suitable manner fromsome driven element of either machine,

or: it may be operated independently, as by -a small electric motor directly coupled thereto. A stack or pile of sheets having been properly positioned on the table 70, the gauge-rods and gauge-bars having been properly adjusted, and the'table elevated in a manner to be describedto bring the top of the pile to the desired degree of proximity to the bottom of the wheel 52, the pump 109 is set in operation, having the effect, first, of discharging amild air blast from the ends of the pipes 111 against the rear end edges of the upper sheets of the pile and forcing their separation throughout at least'a suflicient portion of their lengths to break any temporary adherence and permit comparatively free sliding movement of the top sheet by itself across the sheet underneath.

' As has been explained, the pump also operates to partially exhaust air from the chamber 67 around the pipe or hollow shaft 57, thereby creating suction through the slot 66 in the bottom of the head 64 on the arm 63. This suction is continued through the particular perforations 5 1 or parts thereof at that moment registeringwith said slot, whereby the air pressure forces the top sheet of the pile agamst the periphery of the wheel 52 throughout an area which approximates the dimensions of said slot. The'wheel 52 being rotated in the manner described, and the area of engagement with the sheet being progressively advanced as the sheet is withdrawn-that is to say, the air pressures be ing equalized the instant the perforations 5 1 clear the slot 66-the constantly lengthening rear portion-of the sheet is freed as the sheet advances and it is directed between the rollers 128 and 131. When the other end of the sheet has "cleared the area of airpressure action, the next succeeding sheet is similarly acted upon, Wherefore it will be apparent that single sheets will be fed from the pile successively and at regular intervals to the conveyor-tapes 129. To assist in freeing the rear portion of the advancing top sheet from the wheel 52 after clearance of the slot 66, I provide a U-shaped plate 137 between the legs of which the periphery of the wheel 52 is located, these legs insuring proper separation of the sheet from the wheel under all ordinarylconditions with out in any way interfering with continuous engagement. I have shown this U-shaped plate 137 supported from the end of the arm 63 by means of an angle-iron 138, as clearly shown in Fig. 6.

Sometimes exact uniformity of spacing between the advancing sheets is not essential. and sometimes iti's'. For instance, when it is desired that the'ruled lines extend entirely across the sheet from edge to edge. it is the general practice to permit the ruling pens to remain in depressed or operative positions. in which clrcumstances spacing except to minimize ink wastage-s-is not a matter of importance. At other times, however, it is desired that theruled lines extend only a portion of the distance across the sheet, in which case the pens are automatically raised and lowered at proper regular intervals, and while reciprocating stopfingers are employed to secure exact uniformity of spacing in the ruling machine, a greater degree of exactness in uniformity of spacing all along is necessary.

It will be apparent that what may be termed the point of initial engagement of the top sheet of the pile by the wheel 52 must be some little distance in front of the rear edge of the pile. Therefore, it will also be seen that if the, velocity of the advancing top sheet continues :to be the same as the peripheral velocity ofqthe wheel 52 after release therefrom. the next succeeding sheet will be drawn against the wheel and start to ad vance before the top sheet has cleared the pile and the edges of the advancing sheets will be overlapped. It is on this account that I provide for the rotation of the roller 128 at a peripheral velocity greater than that of the wheel 52. The moment the edge of the sheet is engaged -between. the rollers 128 and 131 it is drawn rearwardly at a sufficiently increased speed to insure clearance of the pile before the next succeeding sheet starts to m0veor, at least. before it has been moved a distance suflicient to result in overlapping. However, while this insures spacing, it does not insure absolute uniformity in spacing, due to unequal frictional resistances at difl'erent times, and possibly for other reasons I secure this uniformity by breaking atexceedingly well regulated intervals the partial vacuum in the head 64 and thus permit-- ting idle rotation of the wheel 52 during such regulated intervals. As preferred meansito 'this end, I interpose between the connection. 58 at .the end of the exhaust pipe 59 and the tube or hollow shaft 57 a valve 139 -this particular location having been selected for no other reason than that of sim-' of which is greater than the external diameter of said tube, whereby a shallow cylindrical chamber 18 provlded around a port1on of said tube. the endsrof said sleeve snugly fitting said tubeandbeing eiteriorly screw threaded for thereception of setnuts 141'and 142. Near one end of the sleeve 140 I providean annular bead or rib 143 between which and the set-nut 141 the stop-ring 144 is adjustably clamped. At the other end of said sleeve an oppositely disposed stop-ring 145 is adjust-ably clamped between the setnut142 and the end of the threaded portion of the sleeve. Snugly but rotatively mounted on the sleeve 140 between the rib 143 and the stop-ring 1 45 is a collar 146 from which depends an arm 147 oscillation of which is adapted to rock said collar on said sleeve.

While any form of adequate stop-lugs on the stop-rings would doubtless fulfill the -strictlyr mechanical requ1ren'1ents,-I prefer to form the ring 144 with an eccentric portion 148 which terminatesin an'abrupt shoulder 149. At this end of the collar 146 I provide :1 lug 150 projecting beyond the end of the collar and adapted upon rotation of said collar to impinge against the shoulder 149 of the ring 144 and thus limit the arc of rotation in that direction at a predeterminable and selective point-.determined by the rotative position ofthe adjustable ring 144. Similarly: the stop-ring 145 is formed with an, oppositely disposed shoulder stop 150 against which the lug 151 at this end of the collar 146similar in, all respects to the lug 150 but oppositely "disposed is adapted to lmplnge and thus limit rotation of said col-t adapted to-be brought into and out of registry with each other by rotation of the collar 146. TVhen the various parts are in the relativepositions indicated in Figs. 24, 25, 26

and, with the arm 147 swung tothe limit and said chamberis opened to the atmos- .phere. Within the sleeve 140 I provide the tube 57 with a slot 154, which for the purpose of securing maximum area and therefore sensitiveness I have shown in helical form, wherefore the interiorof the tube 57 is constantly open to the cylindrical chamber provided by the sleeve 140.

It Will now be apparent that by providing means for actuating and positively and accurately timing oscillation of the arm 147 from some positively driven element of the ruling machine, I may render rotation of the wheel 52 alternately effective and ineffective at precisely regular intervals through quicklv making: and breaking the partial vacuum the head 64 at exactly the proper instants To this end, I mount in convenient location upon some partof the frame'of the ruling machineas, for instance, on the lower side of the rail 118. as's hownan oscillating arm.

or lever 155 the 'end of which is connected with the end of the valve-controlling arm 147 by a rod 156. A spring 157 in tension between the lever 155 and any suitable ansaid lever against the action of the spring This cam 158 may obviously be driven in any one of a number of different ways from any conveniently located and positively actuated moving element of the rulingmachine, the only essential being that the speed of rotation thereof be made proportionate to the velocity. at which the sheets are advanced through the ruling machine. At the proper moment, the cam 158'acts against the lever 155 andoperates through the rod 156 to swing the valve-controlling arm 147 to the position indicated in Fig. 27, and with said arm in this position the valve 139 is open, as has been described, the partial vacuum in the head 64 is broken, and rotation of the wheel 52 is made instantly ineffective. The ring 144 with the shoulder stop 149 coacting with the collar lug 150, and the ring 145- with the shoulder sto 150 coact ing with the collar lug 151 may e set in an predetermined relative positions on the s ee've 140 so as to regulate and determine the are of rotation of such sleeve when the arm 147 and collar 146 are rocked by the cam 158 as has been heretofore described. The shifting of the relative positions of the stops 149 and 150' one with the other, therefore varies the extent of the oscillating movements .of the sleeve 140, and therefore determines that moment in the cycle when the ports 152 and 153 are alined to register with the slot 154 in the tube 57 to break the partial vacuum in the head 64 during the regular movement of thearm 147 to the right as shown in Figs. 26 and 27. In this manner the duration of the time interval which elapses between the instant of clearance of the slot 66 by the advancing top sheet of the pile and the instant of engagement of the next succeeding sheet may bem'ade for all practical purposes eX- actly predetern'iinable and uniform spacing thus insured.

In order ,to insure advancement of the sheets in succession in practically perfect alignment from the rollers128 and 131 with the tapes 129 10 the feed'roller of the ruling machine, suitable side'guides should be provided, and in view of the fact that the automatic feeding machine as a whole should be adapted to feed sheets of any one of a number of different Widths such side guides should-obviously be made laterally adjustable. To-provide these guides and for their proper support, I mount upon the side-bar 122 of the conveyor-frame, toward its for-' ward end, a standard or bracket 160, and directly opposite, on the side-bar 122, a counterpart standard or bracket These standards are preferably bolted to said sidebars and the same bolts may be utilized to secure and support the cross-rod or shaft 161. standards is another cross-rod or shaft 162. Corresponding standards 163 and 163" are similarly mounted on said side-bars toward the rear ends thereof. and corresponding.

cross-rods or shafts 164 (Fig. 23) and 165 are similarly mounted and relatively positioned.

Irrespective of the lateral dimensions of the stack or pile of sheets 69, it is intended that it be positioned as far to the right as practicable on the table 70 (the right-hand side of the machine being considered as that shown in Fig. 2), wherefore it is not niacessary that the right-hand guide for the advancing sheets'have a Wide range of adjustment. To provide this right guide, I slidably mount upon the rod or shaft 161 a block 166 and similarly upon the rod or shaft 164 a corresponding block 166 (see dotted lines in Fig.23) These blocks have flat upper faces upon which .is mounted the angle-bar 167 the vertical wing of which is adapted to provide a guide while the horizontal wing thereof supports the extreme side-edge of the ad-,

vancin'g paper sheet. A screw 168 passes entire preliminary adjusting operation. The

Secured in the upperends ofthese.

through a threaded bushing 169 which is. clamped in the block 1,66,;and it will be ap; parent that if this screw is held against 1on1 gitudinal. movement rotation thereof will slide the block 166 on the rod or shaft 161 one way or the other, according to thedimotion of rotation. Similarly, ascrew 17 Ois passed througha correspondingly threaded and clamped bushing 171 in the block 166". It is essential, .of course, in adjusting this right guide, thatboth ends of the angle-bar 167 be equidistantly.moved. Synchronous rotation of the screws and 171, and therefor synchronous movement of the blocks 166 and 166and, therefore, proper adjustmentof the guide at one operation-is effected and insured by the sprockets 172 and 173 mounted at the ends of thescrews 168 and 17 0, respectively, and connected by the chain 174. A single hand-wheel 175Which may obviously bemounte'd upon the project ing shank of either of the screws, but which is shown as mounted upon the shank of the screw 170may thus be made to effect this usual set-nuts are provided, of course, to lock saidscrews in their adjusted positions.

Irefer to the above-described adjusting operation as preliminary because I prefer to provide for a finer or more delicate adjustment than can be effected by the instru mentalities which I have just described. To this end, I provide a comparatively deep transverse channel or mortise 176 in the up ,perside of the block 166 (Fig. 22) within which the smaller block 177 is slidable. the top of this smaller block 177 is screwed -.an annular groove in said screw to prevent axial movement of the-latter upon rotation,

wherefore such rotation will effect movement of the block 177 in the channel 17 6,,in one direction or the other, according to the direction in which the screw, is turned. In this manner I am able to quickly and readily compensate for any slight defect in the preliminary adjusting operation due, for instance, to lack of perfect synchronism of movements of the'two blocks 166 and 166', practically impossible to effect even through the employment of a gear-train, to say nothing of a chaln-and-sprocket connection. The left guide. must'obviously be capable .the horizontal wing of the angle-bar 167 and of a much wider range of lateral adjustment in order that the feeder may be made to accommodate sheets of any one of a number of widely varying widths. To provide this 16257 left-guide, I mount upon the rod or shaft 162 a ,slidable. collar 180 having a boss 182 through which passes a setting thumb-screw;

181. From this collar depends an arm 183 tion with a bracket 184 suitably secured to the lon itudinally disposed bar'185. The rear en of this bar 185 is supported in a recisely similar manner from a correspondng collar 186 on the rod or shaft 165. At intervals along the bar 185 I mount a series of vertically disposed blades 187 187 preferablyin order to effect independent adjustment and. ready removal or replacement thereofby securing the near end of each blade to the vertical wing of anangle-iron 188 (Fig; 20) the shorter horizontal wing of which is clamped against the upper face of the bar 185 by means of a set-screw 189. These blades are preferably inclined in the direction of the paper sheets advancing between them and the hereinbefore-described right-guide, whereby the extreme edges only of said blades contact with the contiguous edge of each advancing sheet.

The right-guide having been properly adjusted, the interposition of a sheet of the size of those intended to be fed enables quick, ready and accurate adjustment of the left-guide to be effected by turning the screws 181' and releasing the collars 180 and 186, then simultaneously sliding said collars on the shafts 162 and 165 until the edges of the blades 187 are to the minutest extent short of contact with the edge of the interposed sheet, and then re-setting the collars with the blades so positioned. The blades 187 ,are inclined to minimize friction and to .obviate'the possibility of an irregular or mutilated sheet-edge contactin in transit with anything in thenature o a shoulder or'stop by which it might be distorted, become jammed on the conveyor and neces sitate stopping the machine for complete readjustment.

It will be noticed that as it is necessary that the lower edge of the blades be substantially below the plane of the advancing sheets, it

is also necessary that they be below the plane of the supporting tapes, wherefore, unless these blades can be raised to clear the tapes it would be impossible to secure a wider range of adjustment than would be included in the distance between two contiguous tapes. It is on this account that I pivot the bar-carryingbrackets 184 at the ends of the arms 183, wherefore, when more or less extensive lateral movement of the blades 187 is necessary, before slidin loosened collars 180 and 186 on the ro s 162 and 165, the'arms 183 are swung in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 19, havingit'he effect of elevating the bar 185 and therewith all of the blades 187 to ver tical positions where, upon lateral movement, they will clear the tapes, assho'wn by the dotted lines in said figure.

I have hereinbefore referred to the fact-- which will now have become obvious-that as the height of the pile or stack 69 is rethe duced by depletion, the supporting table 70 must be compensatingly raised in order that the top sheet of the remaining stack will always be in proper position to beacted upon by the withdrawing means. To this end, I mount in the top of the framelate 41 the short posts or standards 190 an 191, carrying at their upper ends the cross-arm 192, and in the top of the frame-plate 42 the posts or standards 193 and 194, carrying the cross-arm 195. To combine strength and lightness,.these arms 193 and 195 are made U-shaped, as shown. Journaled in bearings in the framelate 41 and in the base 39 (where I pre er to interpose an anti-friction ball 196) is a shaft 197 which is screwthreaded throughout substantially its entire length. Similarly journaled in bearings in the frame-plate 42 and in the base is a correspondingly threaded shaft 198. Journaled inv bearlngs in the cross-arms 192 and 195 and located in the vertical plane of the shafts 197 and 198 is the shaft 199. At the upper end of the threaded shaft 197 is mounted a bevel-gear 200 in mesh with a similar gear 201 on the shaft 199, andat the up er end of the shaft 198 is mounted abeve -gear 202 in mesh with a similar gear 203 on said shaft 199. The pitch of these gears is such that the threaded shafts 197 and 198 are rotated synchronously by rotation of the shaft 199.

The table is identically supported at each side thereof, wherefore a detailed description of the supporting means on one side will suffice for both. Threaded on the shaft 197 is a nut or square collar 204 opposite sides of which are channeled for the reception of bars 205 and 206. Slidable on the standards 35 and 36 are the guide-shoes 207 and 208 having lugs 209 and 210 which project between the bars 205 and 206 on either side of said nut or collar 204 where they are secured by .bolts 211, thus providing an essentially rigid structure. Relativepositioning is such that the'inner bar 206 may be elon ated, as shown, and to this bar 206 is bolted or otherwise suitably secured the angle-bar 212. The table 70 is directly supported upon rails 213 secured thereto along each side edge thereof, and in the bottom faces of these rails are provided suitably located depressions or seats which re,-

ceive the protuberant buttons 214 on the horizontal wing of the angle-bar 212, whereby mounting ofthe table-which is removable in proper adjustment is facilitated-.- With identical instrumentalities employed in con-' 

